Mumias East Member of Parliament, Peter Salasya has called on the government to reconsider the newly implemented Social Health Authority (SHA) and revert to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), citing concerns over the scheme’s effectiveness.
Speaking in Naivasha on Thursday, January 30, 2024, Salasya raised questions about the implementation of SHA, questioning whether there had been adequate public participation in its launch.
According to him, it seems that the program only benefits public hospitals, which are already overwhelmed and unable to support the growing demand for healthcare services.
“No 1, was there public participation? Because it seems to me there was no participation even with private hospitals because it seems it only supports public hospitals and there are not enough public hospitals and facilities to support the program,” Salasya noted.
SHA implementation rushed?
Salasya’s concerns echo those of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who, just a week earlier, also criticized the SHA for being rushed into implementation without proper planning.
Speaking during a live session on TikTok on Thursday, January 23, 2025, Gachagua called for the abolishment of the SHA and for a return to NHIF, a system he believes has been more effective in providing healthcare coverage for Kenyans.
The former Mathira MP criticized the new healthcare initiative, describing it as costly and poorly executed, which has negatively impacted Kenyans who contribute in hopes of accessing better healthcare.
He questioned why the government didn’t choose to reform the NHIF system instead of launching the new health scheme, which has been riddled with issues and failed to deliver proper services.
Gachagua explained that healthcare experts had advised the government to revamp NHIF, a more cost-effective option, rather than spending Ksh104 billion on the new scheme. He acknowledged that while the new program had potential, its implementation was rushed and lacked proper consultation with stakeholders.
“Experts said it was possible to reform and improve NHIF at a cost of about Ksh800 million,” he added.
He urged the government to revert to NHIF, calling it a more affordable solution for reform compared to the current scheme, which he argued has made healthcare increasingly inaccessible.
Gachagua also highlighted the financial strain the new system has caused, particularly on health facilities run by religious organizations, such as the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA). T
“These hospitals are owed billions and now we have a new program without addressing what happened to their unpaid dues,” he noted.
The SHA debate has for a long time drawn attention to the government’s approach to healthcare, with many questioning whether SHA can truly meet the needs of Kneyans or whether NHIF would be a more sustainable option.
